Chapter 42: The Lunatic Who Finally Found His Guide

“Right!”

“Don’t get caught and cry later—just go.”

“No… I can’t leave you alone. Yeo-jun went to the boss, so now’s the only chance. The bulgogi was so good. I always wanted to eat it but couldn’t. You’re the first person who ever gave me meat. M-Mom said you have to repay kindness! I’m full now, so I’m not sick anymore!”

“…Huh?”

Lee Chae stared at Ki-jun with utter confusion. Between the hiccups and sniffles it was hard to understand, but it sounded like: I’m grateful for the meat, so I won’t abandon you.

We’re both prisoners here… who’s saving who?

Humanoid-types only imitated human behavior; they didn’t feel human emotions. Dragons, on the other hand, had lived alongside humans for so long that they could actually feel and communicate emotions. That seemed to be the difference.

“So… you’re saying you’ll get me out of here?”

Ki-jun’s cheeks turned bright red as he nodded. He looked embarrassed even though he might die for it—absurdly cute.

“What if Yeo-jun comes back and kills you?”

“Nothing I can do… I’m sorry I was mean when I was hungry earlier. I ate meat, so now I’m good! Good dragons save collateral!”

“No—I’m asking if you’re okay with DYING! Just run away with me instead.”

Ki-jun’s mouth fell open like Lee Chae had suggested something insane.

“First untie the ropes. We’ll think of a plan together.”

“B-but… collateral! You can’t run. Big trouble if you do.”

“Who said?”

“Y-Yeo-jun.”

“Why?”

“He planted something in me—if I run, it explodes and everyone around dies! B-bad humans can die, but good collateral can’t!”

Ki-jun’s tears still hadn’t dried; he spoke in a stuffed-up voice. Lee Chae was momentarily speechless.

.

So Yeo-jun kidnapped a dragon, forced it into human form, and turned it into his s*ave? What a piece of trash.

Rage toward Yeo-jun mixed with a sudden surge of affection for Ki-jun. Parents who picked through rubble every day to feed the family, a little brother who always gave up his share… Lately Lee Chae had been feeling a warmth his own family couldn’t give him.

Ki-jun hurriedly untied the ropes.

“I’ll distract the lamia subordinates… you run while I do. This whole place is an illusion space made by humanoids. No matter who calls you, ignore it and just keep going forward. G-got it, collateral?”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine. You gave me meat—I’ll fight hard.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come with me. Whatever he ‘planted’ could be a lie.”

Humanoids were smart enough to pull that kind of trick. Deceiving a kind-hearted dragon with the mind of a child would be easy for them.

Those bastards… using a good dragon like this…

Fury boiled to the top of his head.

Ki-jun gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

“Even if I escape, I have nowhere to go. I-I’ll go to the sky and meet Mom!”

“No. Dragons are too precious… Let’s go to headquarters. I’ll report—”

At the word “headquarters,” Ki-jun shuddered violently.

“H-headquarters is scarier… They tied me with ropes. Hurt me a lot.”

Lee Chae stared at him with pity and shook with anger at headquarters. Treating a precious dragon like a lab rat… Now he understood why Ki-jun had asked if Lee Chae was “kind.” To Ki-jun, both humans and humanoids were just beings that hurt him.

“I won’t take you to headquarters. I’ll take responsibility—we’ll live together.”

He was already feeding a whole family by himself. One more mouth wouldn’t change anything. And Ki-jun had basically saved his life.

“Live… together?”

“Yeah. Come with me. My parents and little brother are good people—they’ll treat you well.”

“Snff… hic… WAAAAH!”

Ki-jun suddenly burst into loud sobs. He was the one who said to be quiet, yet he cried the loudest. Lee Chae panicked—he hadn’t said he’d abandon him!

“I’m happy you said we can live together. But… I think I’ll go to the sky.”

“…?”

“I was going to go earlier but I was scared. If I save you first and then go, it’ll be good.”

“…?”

“Dragons originally came from the sky, so when we die we go back. Then I can see Mom and Dad! And all our kin!”

“Ah…”

To a dragon with a child’s heart, death wasn’t terror—it was reunion. That legendary fearlessness came from the belief they returned to the sky. But even so, Lee Chae couldn’t leave him here knowing he’d die.

“Not yet. Your parents would be sad. Stay with me longer, then go later.”

Ki-jun lifted his head, blinked away tears, and nodded with a bright smile. So simple.

Now that the dragon was convinced, only escape remained.

Lee Chae grabbed Ki-jun’s hand and held his breath. First, check outside.

That very moment—

BANG!

Several men stormed into the basement. Ki-jun instantly shoved Lee Chae behind him and crouched. BANG! Blood burst from Ki-jun’s leg.

Ki-jun trembled but shouted,

“R-run! Quick!”

Every time the men gestured, explosions rang out. Ki-jun swung his arm, creating wind, roared “GRAAHH!” and breathed fire. While flames blocked the enemies’ sight, Lee Chae bolted.

“You have to come find me! Come to Management University and look for Cha Haejin!”

“Okay! Don’t worry!”

Even in the urgency, Lee Chae kept wanting to look back.

BOOM! CRASH!

Thunder-like blasts. No matter how strong a dragon was, he couldn’t hold that off forever—especially after being starved of meat for so long. If only I’d forced more bulgogi into him…! Tears streamed down.

Then Ki-jun’s voice from behind:

“S-save me! Lee Chae-ya… It hurts so bad. Save me. Take me with you.”

Lee Chae almost turned, but clenched his eyes shut and ran harder. This is a humanoid illusion space—ignore everything and keep going forward, Ki-jun had said.

But what if it wasn’t illusion?

Just as he started to turn, he snapped back. That voice isn’t Ki-jun. Ki-jun had only ever called him “collateral.” This was definitely a humanoid trickery.

Lee Chae screamed as he ran,

“KI-JUN-AH, COME BACK ALIVE!”

It was half a scream, half a sob—he prayed the dragon heard it.

Huff, huff.

After running forever, his lungs burned and the world spun. The barrier seemed to resist him leaving. He dragged his heavy legs and finally broke through.

No more hallucinations. He stopped to catch his breath—and someone grabbed his shoulder hard.

“My Lee Chae… you were here! F*ck!”

The moment he recognized Haejin’s voice—the voice he’d wanted to hear more than anything—every string of tension snapped. Lee Chae collapsed straight into Haejin’s arms.

“Jung Lee Chae, wake up.”

Haejin piggybacked the limp body. Far away, monsters wearing human skin were charging. The closer they got, the louder the hallucinations became.

“Hyung, it hurts. It hurts so bad. Save me. Why did you only come now? This is all your fault. You think I really like you? I was only sticking around because you’re S-rank.

The illusion skill was pathetic. If you’re going to fake someone’s voice, at least study them—the lines were so un-Lee-Chae that Haejin couldn’t even get mad.

But the real problem was the person on his back getting worse by the second.

“Hnngh… ugh.”

Lee Chae trembled, flailing, repeating “No, don’t.” It was driving Haejin insane.

He couldn’t use his hands while carrying him, so he set obstacles ablaze with just his glare and left the rest to Jin-woo. Jin-woo armored Lee Chae’s body and charged the monsters, tearing them apart one by one.

“GRAAAH!”

Screams and the stench of burning flesh filled the air. Haejin ignited another wall of fire to block the path, carried Lee Chae to a safe spot, and laid him down.

He shook the sweat-drenched, muttering guide.

“Jung Lee Chae, snap out of it. Don’t let it take you.”

Falling into a humanoid’s illusion drained life force; in severe cases it caused dehydration and death. He had to pull Lee Chae out even if it meant knocking him unconscious again.

But no matter how much Haejin shook him, Lee Chae only kept whispering incomprehensible words.